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The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat, having been launched in 1797. The USS Constitution was built at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts, and was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. The ship's first duties were to protect American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and to defeat the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War. The USS Constitution is known for its victories during the War of 1812, after which it was no longer needed and underwent repairs. The ship has undergone several restorations and remains a commissioned warship, serving as a symbol of the US Navy's history and a popular attraction for visitors.
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What You'll Learn
- The USS Constitution is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate
- It was launched in 1797, one of the first six frigates
- It was built at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts
- It served in the Quasi-War with France and the First Barbary War
- It was nicknamed 'Old Ironsides' after its victory over HMS Guerriere in 1812
The USS Constitution is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate
The USS Constitution is also known as Old Ironsides, a nickname earned during its battle with HMS Guerriere in the War of 1812. After the war, the ship was celebrated for its victories but laid up in Boston, requiring repairs. Throughout its history, the USS Constitution has undergone extensive repairs and maintenance, including replacing the hull planking and recoppering the hull. The ship was recommissioned in 1835 and served in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific. It became the first US warship to conduct a show of force against Vietnam in 1845.
In 1870, the USS Constitution underwent reconstruction and was used for training sailors in the Atlantic. It returned to Boston and served as a receiving ship until it was saved from destruction in 1905. The ship was renamed Old Constitution in 1917 but regained its original name in 1925. Restoration work began in 1925, supervised by Lieutenant John A. Lord, who gathered wood from across the country. The ship was recommissioned in 1931 and sailed on a 90-port tour along the US coasts.
During World War II, the USS Constitution was designated the symbolic flagship of the US fleet, along with the USS Constellation. After the war, it remained at its berth in the Boston Navy Yard and was open to the public. The USS Constitution underwent additional reconstructions in 1995 and 2015 and continues to make an annual turnaround cruise in Boston Harbour on July 4th. It serves as a symbol of the US Navy's history and patriotic naval service.
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It was launched in 1797, one of the first six frigates
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It was launched in Boston, Massachusetts, on 21 October 1797. It was one of the first six frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794 and the third to be constructed.
The USS Constitution was built at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts. Its first duties were to provide protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and to defeat the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War. The ship was designed by Joshua Humphreys, who intended for the frigates to be the young Navy's capital ships. As a result, the USS Constitution and her sister ships were larger and more heavily armed than the standard frigates of that period.
The USS Constitution's hull was built 21 inches thick, with a length of 175 feet between perpendiculars and an overall length of 204 feet. Its construction required 60 acres of trees, primarily pine and oak. The ship was supervised by Captain Samuel Nicholson, master shipwright Colonel George Claghorn, and Foreman Prince Athearn of Martha's Vineyard Athearns.
The USS Constitution began its service as the oldest commissioned warship in the U.S. Navy. It participated in the Quasi-War with France from 1798 to 1800 and in the First Barbary War from 1801 to 1805. During the War of 1812, it gained its nickname, Old Ironsides, after its victory against HMS Guerriere on 19 August 1812. It also emerged victorious against HMS Java on 29 December and HMS Cyane and HMS Levant on 20 February 1815.
Over the years, the USS Constitution has undergone several repairs and reconstructions. By 1833, it needed significant repairs and was almost scrapped before being saved by Oliver Wendell Holmes' poem, Old Ironsides. It was recommissioned in 1835 and served in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific. The ship continued to serve as a flagship in the Mediterranean and Pacific squadrons and circled the globe from 1844 to 1846.
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It was built at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat.
It was built at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts, and launched in 1797. The shipyard was located near the present Coast Guard base. The construction cost was about $302,000. The ship's hull was built 21 inches (530 mm) thick, with a length of 175 ft (53 m) between perpendiculars and a total length of 204 ft (62 m). The width of the USS Constitution was 43 ft 6 inches (13.26 m). The construction required 60 acres (24 ha) of trees, primarily pine and oak. The oak used was sourced from various regions, including southern live oak cut from Gascoigne Bluff and milled near St. Simons Island, Georgia.
Edmund Hartt (1744-1824) was a master carpenter and owned the shipyard in Boston. He also constructed other ships, including the USS Boston (1799), USS Argus (1803), and USS Independence (1814). Hartt and his descendants lived in the "Hartt House" at 24-26 Hull Street in Boston.
Following its launch, the USS Constitution began its service in the Quasi-War with France (1798-1800) and the First Barbary War (1801-1805). During the War of 1812, it gained its nickname, Old Ironsides, after its victory against HMS Guerriere on August 19, 1812. The ship continued to serve in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific, even conducting a show of force against Vietnam in May 1845.
Over the years, the USS Constitution underwent repairs and restoration. In 1927, Lieutenant John A. Lord supervised the restoration, sourcing wood from various states and involving shipwrights from Maine. The ship was recommissioned in 1931 and sailed on a national cruise, visiting over 70 cities. After World War II, it remained at the Boston Navy Yard, open to the public. The ship was designated Boston as its official home port.
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It served in the Quasi-War with France and the First Barbary War
The USS Constitution is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. It was launched in 1797 and was built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts.
The USS Constitution served in the Quasi-War with France, which lasted from 1798 to 1801. This conflict arose in the wake of the French Revolution, which altered the relationship between the United States and the French government. The United States had signed the Treaties of Alliance and Commerce with France in 1778, but the French monarchy that had forged this alliance was overthrown during the revolution. As a result, France swung dramatically towards a republic that aimed to overthrow every monarchy in Europe. This led to a war with Great Britain and a European coalition, during which the United States declared its neutrality.
The Quasi-War was an undeclared war fought almost entirely at sea, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States. It consisted of a series of ship-to-ship actions, with French privateers attacking American merchant vessels. The USS Constitution's duties during this war included providing protection for American merchant shipping. The conflict ended with the Convention of 1800, also known as the Treaty of Mortefontaine, which re-asserted the United States' right to free trade.
The USS Constitution also served in the First Barbary War from 1803 to 1805. This war was the United States' first foray into diplomatic negotiations as a new sovereign nation. The conflict arose due to the seizure of American merchant vessels in the Mediterranean Sea by Barbary pirates, most notably from Algiers. The USS Constitution arrived in Tripoli in September 1803, and its presence helped reshape the conflict. The circumstances in the Mediterranean were central to the debates that shaped the new Constitution, as it vested the federal government with control of commerce and the authority to make treaties and payments.
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It was nicknamed 'Old Ironsides' after its victory over HMS Guerriere in 1812
USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat.
The USS Constitution gained its nickname, “Old Ironsides,” following its victory over HMS Guerriere in the War of 1812. During the battle, the crew of the USS Constitution observed British cannonballs bouncing off the ship's side. An American sailor reportedly exclaimed, "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!" The ship's wooden sides were thought to be made of iron due to their undefeatable strength. The nickname "Old Ironsides" has since been adopted for various other uses, some earnest, some mocking, and some unexplained.
The USS Constitution was launched in 1797 and was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. It was the third constructed and was built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts. Its first duties included providing protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and defeating the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War.
During the War of 1812, the USS Constitution was victorious in battle against several British ships, including HMS Guerriere on August 19, 1812, HMS Java on December 29, and HMS Cyane and HMS Levant on February 20, 1815. The capture of these ships earned the USS Constitution public adoration, and it became known as "Old Ironsides."
In the years following the War of 1812, the USS Constitution continued to serve as a flagship in the Mediterranean and African squadrons. It circled the world in the 1840s and served as a training ship during the American Civil War. The ship was retired from active service in 1881 and designated a museum ship in 1907.
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Frequently asked questions
The USS Constitution is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate.
The USS Constitution was launched on 21 October 1797.
Joshua Humphreys designed the USS Constitution.
The USS Constitution's first duty was to provide protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and to defeat the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War.
